clips from BBC's Arena - The Dandy and Beano story from 1988

[jakob1978]

Some more youtube clips of vintage comic interviews. This is from an hour long Arena programme in 1988, which to be honest, having just watched it, is a fairly dreary programme which captures none of the fun of the comics themselves (not helped by an interviewer who we only hear occasioanlly, but when we do it's the most banal questions possible).

This is just the talking head stuff with various creators (the full programme is padded with some nonsense waffling from novelist AN Wilson, some mildly interesting interviews with Spitting Image creators Fluck and Law, singer Joan Armitrading and cartoonist Steve Bell, and bits with children dressed as various characters having a big dinner?!?).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FiMdohGcEs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=702wXJi9lCQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6gbHXH6a_k

[colcool007]

Jakob, you are right in saying it was a gey dreich programme, but at the time, there was little or no mainstream commentary on UK comics, so it was ground-breaking for the time. I agree that A N Wilson was up his own a**e, but as Arena was an arts programme, it wasn't exactly a surprise to find it was done in such a high falutin' style.

The best bit is still the "DCT band" getting the guitar out and give us all a bit of a blast.

[dishes]

Well, I saw this at the time when I was ten and it was a big deal for me to stay up late and watch my favourite comics being recognised and discussed on an adult arts programme. (I also loved the theme music by Brian Eno). It's great to see it again, despite the uncomfortableness of the staff behind the camera. Interesting to hear Barnes refer to DDW as "Watty", see that Lord Snooty strip where DDW portrays himself (don't think I've seen that anywhere else) and hear the story about D. C. Thomson's feud with Churchill. Thanks.